Sunday, 11 December 2016

The Lagos
State Government on Thursday said it was ready to roll out Lake Rice on
Dec. 15 to Lagosians at N13,000 per 50 kg towards the Yuletide
celebrations.

Mr Sanni
Okanlawan, Special Adviser on Food Security to Gov. Akinwumi Ambode,
made the disclosure in Lagos during the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and
Industry (LCCI) National Agriculture Stakeholders Summit.

Okanlawan
said that sales of the rice would be made at all the 57 Local Government
Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state
to ensure proper distribution.

“Lake Rice
is the acronym of both Lagos and Kebbi States joint product which will
be out to the public on Dec. 15 at the rate of N13,000 per 50kg bag as
it is already subsidised by the government.

“To make it
more available, the rice will be sold at the 57 LGAs and LCDAs for easy
accessibility and to guard against unwanted persons diverting the
product.

“The state government has put in
place a committee that will ensure that Lagosians have the best
Christmas celebration, that is why we are offering the wholesome and
well packaged rice,’’ Okanlawan stated.

The News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the government’s efforts were in
alignment with the Federal Government’s diversification drive from a
mono-economy to agriculture. It will be recalled that Lagos and Kebbi
states signed a historic MOU on rice production shortly after the Anchor
borrowers scheme which creates resources for farmers was launched by
President Muhammadu Buhari in Kebbi.